Ignition coil



I. J. REUTER IGNITION COIL Filod'July 1'7, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [a mmOct. 13,1 2 1,557,501

I. J. REUTER IGNITION COIL lilod Judg 17. 1923 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 m ,4. II

m'llllllllllllll Patented Get. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES v 1,557,501 PATENT OFFICE.

IRVING J'. REUTER, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS COR-PORA'I'ION, OF ANDERSON; INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

IGNITION COIL.

Application filed July 17, 1923. Serial No. 652,151.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING J. Rnn'rna, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Anderson, county of Madison, State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Coils, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to induction coils and particularly to that typeof'coil used to supply ignition for the engines of motor vehicles andwhich are subjected to severe vibration.

Among the objects of the present invention is to produce ignition coilsat lower cost than heretofore, and to provide for dis-assembling ofcoils for replacement of parts in a facile manner thereby permittingrepairs to be made at relatively low cost.

In order to accomplish these aims, the present invention provides a coilin which the ignition windings are enclosed within a dust and waterproofcontainer composed of insulating material and are removable therefrom.The coil core is adapted to en circle opposite sides of said containerwith a portion thereof located centrally of said windings, and means areprovided for rigidly securing the core and container together, includinga base by means of which the coil may be attached to a suitable support.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent. from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawmgs, whereina preferred embodiment of the invention isclearly disclosed,

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the coil forming the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. p

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 isa side view of the cup cover.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the base portion of the coil ,cup.

The coil 20 comprises a base 21, rovided with apertured ears 22 throngwhich screws may pass for securing the base to any suitable support.Base 21 is provided with a substantially rectangular centrally disposeddepression, 23, provided with dished surfaces 24 and side grooves 25.Coil cup'or container 30, composed of insulating material such asbakelite, is molded in the form of an*annulus, having outer wall 31 andinner wall 32 concentrically related and providing a deep annular groove33. The cross section of this groove is wedge shaped as provided by thenatural draft in the mold, being wider at the top than at the bottom.The inner wall 32 provides a substantially rectangular central opening34, including grooves 35 and 36. The outer wall 31 is provided withdiametrically opposite flat surfaces 37, and a groove 38 ex- "tendsacross the base of the cup 30, cooperating with the surfaces 37 to forma continuous flat surface around the cup.

Previously formed primary and secondary windings 40 and 41 respectively,wound on paper tubes 42 and 43 respectively, the secondary winding 41being Wrapped with insulation 44, are placed within the groove 33. Thelayers of secondary turns are not as wide as the layers of paper whichinsulate them, therefore, there will be, at the side edges of thesecondary coil, portions of paper at 45 and 46 extending beyond the endsof the layers of secondary turns. These spaces between the layers ofpaper forming these portions are filled with a non-conducting fluid suchas bakelite varnish. High tension or outside terminal 47 of secondarywinding 41 is secured in place by a hollow rivet 48which passes throughouter wall 31 of the cup 30. A pig tail connection is brought out fromthe secondary winding and led through the rivet 48 and secured theretoby dropping solder into the recess Cup cover is provided with a centralaperture 56 corresponding to aperture 34 in cup 30 and including grooves57. The cover 55 is also made of non-conducts ing material such asbakelite, which is moulded around metal inserts 58, 59 and 60. Insert 58is provided with a hole 61 through which the inside end of secondarywinding 41 is brought and soldered down. Screw hole 62, is provided forattachment of a terminal screw. Inserts 59 and 60 are pro vided withholes 63 through which the opposite ends of the primary winding 40 arebrought and soldered down. Screw holes 64 are provided for attachment ofsuitable terminals; Cover 55 is provided with a flange 69 adapted to fitwithin the wall 31,

' and providing a shoulder 65 which rests on each other by the top ofthe wall 31. Cover 55 is provided with a recess 66 within which theupper end of wall 32 snugly fits. The cover 55 tends to seal the cup andthe flange 69 wedges the upper side edges of the windings 40 and 41 atthe top over against the wall 32 to rigidly secure the windings withinthe cup.. The annular groove 33 being wedged shaped in, cross section,operates to Wedge the lower side edges of the windings 40 and 41slightly together'to hold the windings tightly in, place. It istherefore apparent that the windings are rigidly supported in the cup byreasonof the wedging by the cup cover flange 69 at the upper side edgesof the coils, and by the wedging of the annular groove 33 at the bottomside edges of the coils.

A groove 68 extends across the top of the cover 55, and together withgroove 38 in the bottom of the cup 30 and the flat surfaces 37 .onopposite sides thereof, form a continuous flat surface entirely aroundthe windings.

Core is composed of identical laminations of flexible sheet iron, theends thereof being secured together by rivets 71 to form a substantiallyrigid portion 72. This portion 72'is loosely received by apertures 56and 34 of cover 55 and cup 30 respectively. The, loose ends of theselaminations are divided into two substantially equal groups and areparted and bent down over the outside of cover 55 and around the outersides of cup 30, the ends of the left hand group, as viewed in Fig. 4,contacting with the inner lamination of the right hand group adjacentthe base of cup 30, as shown at 73, and the ends of the right hand groupcontacting with the base 21, so that each lamination encircles thewindings 40 and 41. Thus the core 70 rests in the groove 68 in cover 55,and in the depression 23; formed in base 21,.and fits within the groove38 formed in the base of cup 30. Bolts 26, provided with hooked ends 27engaging the laminations intermediate said groups adjacent the aperture56 in cover 55, pass through grooves 57 in cover 55 and grooves 35 incup 30, through suitable holes in base 21 and are held in place by nuts28. An air gap is provided between the lower end of por tion 72' and themeeting ends of the laminations adjacent the base of cup 30.

From the above it will be apparent that there has been provided a coilin which the parts are held rig in place and are free from the seriousenects caused by vibration As the nuts ar drawn up on the bolts 26, thecover w l in place on the cup 30, thus 3 r the wind ings 1-0 and 411.the ein of the lairnnai'ions will causing the outside branches of thecore to bear against the flat surfaces 37 of the cup and to closelycontact with the grooves 68 and. 38 in the cover 55 and cup 30respectively, to hold the core 70 rigidly in place. The meeting ends ofthe laminations will be compressed between the base of cup 30 and thebase 21, forming a close contact between the laminationsof both groups,thus reducing the reluctance thereof.

The coil may be readily disassembled for inspection or replacement ofparts, merely by removing the nuts 28 and withdrawing the bolts 26. Themeeting ends of the core 70 may then be sprung outwardly so as to clearthe sides of the cup 30, and when the core 70 is lifted upwardly, asviewed in Fig. l, the portion 72 will be Withdrawn from the cup 30 andcover 55 through apertures 34 and 56 respectively. The terminalconnections of the primary and secondary windings may then be unsolderedand the cover 55 lifted off the cup 30. The windings 40 and 41 may thenbe readily lifted out of the cup 30.

It should be understood that the degree to which the side edges of thewindings are wedged over at the top by the cover 55 is somewhatexaggerated in order to more clearly illustrate this feature of thepresent invention.

While the form of apparatus herein shown and described constitutes apreferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understoodthat other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of theclaims which follow.

lVhat I claim is as follows:

1. In an ignition coil, the combination with a cup formed of insulatingmaterial provided with a centrally disposed coaxial aperture; ofignition windings within said cup; a cover for said cup having acomplementary aperture; a mounting base provided with a depression; alaminated core including a base portion adapted to fit within saiddepression and having a depending stem portion passing through saidapertures; and means passing through said apertures, engaging said coreand connected with said base, for clamping said core against the baseand for holding said cup and cover in position with respect to the base.

2. In an ignition coil, the combination with a cup composed ofinsulating material, provided with an upstandinghollow inner sleeveintegral with the base oi? said cup and providing an aperture in saidbase; of a cover for said cup having :2. con'i llementary aperture:ignition winings located. in the cup around said slec e; su 'iportimrbase having a central depression; a laminated core having" a dependingstem im stitui extending into s: l la y and supporterl by the cover andhaving braraah 1;-:';.rtio:.i.-:=. bent around the outside of the cupand terminating within the depression; and means passing through thesleeve engaging the core and connected with the base for holding theparts together. i

3. In an ignition coil, the combination with a cup in the form of anannulus, providing a deep annular groove surrounded by inside andoutside walls concentrically related, said inner wall providing asubstantially rectangular aperture; of ignition windings located in saidgroove; a cover for said cup provided with a corresponding aperture; abase having a depression; a core comprising flexible laminations andhaving a substantially rigid portion loosely received by said aperturesand branch portions bent around opposite sides of the cup and terminating within the depression; and means passing through said aperturesengaging the core and having connection with the base for rigidlyholding the parts together.

4. In an ignition coil, the combination with a cup in the form of anannulus, providing a deep annular groove of wedge shaped cross sectionbeing wider at the top than at the bottom surrounded by inside andoutside walls concentrically related, said inner wall providing asubstantially rectangular aperture; of ignition windings located in saidgroove, the side edges of said windings being wedged into the bottom ofsaid cup; a base having a central depre$ion; a cover for said cupprovided with a. corresponding aperture and having a flange fittingwithin and resting on the outer wall of said cup and wedging the sideedges of the windings at the top against the inner wall, and providedwith a recess within which the top of said inner wall snugly fits; a.core composed of flexible laminations having a substantially rigidportion loosely received by said apertures and branch portions bentaround opposite sides of the cup and terminating within the depression;and means passing through said apertures engaging the core and havingconnection with the base for rigidly holding the parts in position.

5. In an ignition coil, the combination with an elliptioally shaped cupcomposed of insulating material provided with a centrally disposedcoaxial aperture substantially rectangular in cross section; ignitionwindings within said cup; a cover for said cup provided withacomplementary aperture and provided with a flat groove extending acrossthe top thereof; a flat groove extending across the bottom of said cup,and diametrically opposite fiat surfaces located on the outer surface ofsaid cup, all of said fiat surfaces cooperating to form a continuousflat bearing surface encircling said cup; a supporting base for said cuphaving a depression; a core composed of flexible laminations andineluding a substantially rigid portion loosely received by saidapertures, and branch portions bent around opposite sides of the cup,the ends thereof meeting adjacent the base of said cup and restingwithin the depression; and means passing through said apertures,engaging the core and having connection with said base for securing theparts rigidly in position and for causing said branch portions of thecore tobear against the continuous flat surface.

6. An induction coil comprising: a winding unit having a central openingtherein, a laminated iron core inserted within said opening and dividedadjacent one end of said opening into two groups of core laminations,said groups of laminations being bent around the outside of said windingunit and their ends bent into substantial contact with one anotheradjacent the other endof said opening, and means for rigidly holdingsaid contacting ends in position.

7. An induction coil comprisin a winding unit having a central openingtherein, a laminated iron core inserted within said opening and dividedadjacent one end of said opening into two groups of core laminations,said groups of laminations being bent around the outside of said windingunit and their ends bent into substantial contact with one anotheradjacent the other end of said opening, and common means for holdingsaid contacting ends in position and for holding the inserted portion ofsaid core within the opening in said winding unit.

8. An induction coil comprising: a winding unit having a central openingtherein, a laminated core unit having a portion inserted within saidopening, the laminations of said core being divided into two groupsadjacent the exit of said opening, said groups being bent around theoutside of said winding unit and having their ends brought intosubstantial contact adjacent the opposite end of said winding unit, asupporting base for said core and winding units, and a common means forholding said contacting ends in position and for holding said core unitupon said base.

9. An induction coil comprising: a winding unit having a central openingtherein, a laminated core unit having a portion inserted within saidopening, the laminations of said core being divided into two groupsadjacent the exit of said opening, said.

groups being bent. around the outside of said winding unit and havingtheir ends brought into substantial contact adjacent the opposite end ofsaid winding unit, a supporting base for said core and winding units,and common means for holding the inserted portion of said core downwithin the opening in the winding unit and for holding said core rigidlyupon said base.

10. An induction coil comprising: awinding unit having a central openingtherein,

a laminated core unit having a portion inserted within said opening, thelaminations of said core being divided into two groups adjacent the exitof said opening, said groups being bent around the outside of saidwinding unit and having their ends brought into substantial contactadjacent the opposite end of said winding unit, a supporting base forsaid core and winding units, and a common clamping means for rigidlyclamping the core laminations about the winding unit and for clampingthe core unit to said base.

11. An induction coil comprising: a winding unit having a completeprotective casing for protecting the windings thereof from dust andwater, said casing having a central opening; a core unit separate fromsaid Windin unit but having an inner portion inserte within said centralopening and an outer portion bent around the outside of said windingunit to form an encircling iron path about said winding unit.

12. An induction coil comprising: a winding unit having a completeprotective casing for protecting the windin s thereof from dust andwater, said casing aving a central opening; av core unit separate fromsaid windin unit but having an inner portion inserte Within said centralopening and an outer portion bent around the outside of said windingunit to form an encircling iron path about said winding unit, andreleasable means for holding said bent core portion in bent positionwhereby said core unit and winding unit may be easily disassembled byreleasing said releasable means and bending back said bent core portion.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

IRVING J. REUTER.

